HC stays transfer of SIT Chief probing SC-ST scholarship scam

The transfer of SIT Chief Manjunath TC, who was heading the SIT probing the Rs 500 scam in the SC-ST scholarship scam in the social welfare department, has been stayed by the high court of Uttarakhand.

The High Court has stressed that Manjunath will continue the investigation into this scam.

During hearing in the case, the issue of the government transferring officers investigating this scam also came to notice.

A day before being transferred, Manjunath had submitted an affidavit in the High Court acknowledging that government fund was misused in the scam and that he had not received cooperation or information sought from officials concerned.

The case is being heard by the divisional bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe.

On the previous date in the case, Manjunath had informed the court that till date he had not received the information sought by the SIT from the joint director and district social welfare officer.

Probe conducted by the SIT so far into the scam had been on the basis of documents provided by general citizens.

It will be recalled the Dehradun resident Ravinder Jugran had filed a PIL in the High Court stating that funds released by the Central Government for scholarships to SC-ST students had not been distributed by the social welfare department for the intended purpose.

This had resulted in a scam amounting to about Rs 500 crore, he had stated. Read More